Manly was clean, says ex-coach

Michael Chammas, Sydney

CANTERBURY coach Des Hasler has leapt to the defence of his former club, insisting Manly followed the right protocols during his tenure at the club.

The two-time premiership-winning coach, who worked with Stephen Dank at the club between 2006 and 2010, believes the Sea Eagles have nothing to worry about.

As part of the investigation into the use of illicit and illegal supplements in Australian sport, Manly was audited, as were Cronulla, Penrith and Newcastle.

But Hasler, who worked closely with Dank during the five years the sport scientist was at the club, insisted Manly always followed the letter of the law. ''I've got no qualms,'' Hasler said after Canterbury's trial win against Newtown on Sunday. ''One hundred per cent - we worked entirely within the policy of the WADA and ASADA guidelines. There's no drama there.''

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Hasler said: ''There's been a lot of speculation and a lot of accusation. Everyone now is waiting to see the accountability. I think that's probably the general message that's been put back there by CEOs and leading people in the game. I guess we'll just have to wait and see … I'd like to think [it won't disrupt the start of the season], but I think the word out there at the moment is, 'Tell us' [what's going on].''

Dank, whose lawyers on Sunday announced the launch of a $10 million defamation claim against various media outlets, has found himself at the centre of the doping scandal uncovered by the Australian Crime Commission last week.

Dank's legal representatives Cambridge Law released a statement on Sunday night saying it was in the process of preparing statements of claim against media outlets in several states.